Mi Vida Valendrileña: Mi Vida..... loca!

So after 2 weeks frolicking around Italy, I made my way back to the island that is long and overcrowded to spend time with Family and friends.

my house!

While I was there I did a tour de New York, where I visited places such as Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Queens, Binghamton and Syracuse. I got to reunite with wonderful people, most notably Jamie Seminara, Lindsey Jackson, Kristin Southard, Jennifer Hinchy, and Ryan Hastings.

me and jamie

niagra falls rainbow

one of my favorite sports!

picnics in astoria park

I also got to spend lots of time with my beloved grandmother and other fantastic family members.

I was lucky to have experienced an Earthquake and a Hurricane IN THE SAME WEEK!

me and the greene beans

grandma!

post hurricane irene

i walked a llama!

I also had many rough spots in my time home. Living two separate lives in two separate countries really started to get to me. It was very difficult for me to dive back into American culture with American friends who have continued their American lives while I lived a Spanish life. I've realized that my views on life have morphed into new ones, I have new ideas, new perspectives, new friends, new experiences, new insights, new attitudes... a new LIFE

How does one balance these two lives? How do I keep myself connected to people when I can only see them once a year? When and if it comes down to it, how will I choose which life to live? Can I continue living two lives like this, where I disappear from one for an extended period of time and then just show up again, making the other life seem like one of those dreams that was so real, but at the same time still just a dream to the point where it confuses the hell out of you? ....

.... There's only one way to find out!

Meet the mets!

So here I am, back in Spain.... in my favorite city of all time: MADRID! I could not be more content here (that is of course, unless I could bring my family here with me)

back to madrid!

Here is what I have going on this year.
I am living with a family as a nanny. I take care of a 7 year old boy (Nacho) and a 2.5 year old girl (Lucia). I care for them from 530-9 or 930 pm from Monday until Friday. I have my own bedroom and bathroom, all meals included.
I will be working in a primary school again as an English Teachers assistant. This time I am not a Fulbright grantee so the job includes less prestige and less responsibility. It also includes health insurance and unlimited days allowed to spend outside of Spain.
I have already gone back to visit Valencia, and now as a "tourist" I realize I took advantage of the Paella (best in spain) the Horchata, the bicycle system, and the Palm trees.